Long Beach police clerk filmed dozens of men in department restroom, prosecutors say

An employee at the Long Beach Police Department has been charged with at least 99 counts of invasion of privacy. (Google)

A Long Beach Police Department clerk has been charged with invasion of privacy after authorities said he filmed dozens of men in one of the Police Department’s restrooms.

Sergio Nieto, 28, a clerk typist, was charged with 115 counts of invasion of privacy, according to court records. Prosecutors said he filmed 69 men with a mobile phone placed inside the second-floor bathroom.

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An employee noticed suspicious activity on June 29 in the men’s restroom of the Police Department’s public safety building, at 200 W. Broadway, according to Long Beach police. Nieto was arrested hours later.

Long Beach police said in July that Nieto had been suspended from his position during the investigation.

City prosecutor Doug Haubert said Nieto hadn’t been charged until recently because it took months to go through the video footage and identify victims. The city attorney’s office thinks Nieto also took video of people in bathrooms elsewhere.

Nieto had been booked into the Signal Hill Police Department to avoid conflict of interest. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 20.